The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-07-02
TWO INSANE PATIENTS.
THEY ARE TOLD TO KEEP AN EYE
ON EACH OTHER.

YIN CASE1 VT
Each Thinks the Other Crazy-In tho
eficial-The Reason of Both Patients
is Restored.
The increase Of insanity in this city during
tho past few years is remarkable, and tho
scientists are searching among dry statistics
and tho history of individual cases for the
cause of the increase. Tho asylums arc over
crowded everywhere, and the public ilstit,l-
tions cannot contain the number of patients
who are sent there. Formerly if one case n
week appeared it WAS thought to he about
the average; now there is not IL day passes
When tho boat that goes to Blacliwell's
Island does not carry from 1--WE to ten luna
tics. Tho lack of accommodations for them
has rendered q doubling up system necessary,
and i'll two cases, at least, the result has been
of decided benefit, and further experiments
will he made in the same linc that may lead
to some important changes in tho treatment
of the insane.
TWO LCNATICS TOGETHER.
Williams and Harkins were piaccd in 4
padded cell together. Tho only restraint
placed OH them was strap that held their
hands firmly at tho side. The barbarolls treat
ment that patients of this kind formerly re-
celved happily is given 10 more. Chains,
clubs, dark cells that We're never cleaned, in
strumcnts of torture, us well rs bleeding and
the administration of violent cmetics and
rulgatives, have all been abolished from tho
modern asylum, together with the fiction
That tho insane are possessed with demons
that deserve to be tortured. When placed
together each of the patients was toll that
his companion was going to commit suicide.
lher" is nothing that plc;,ses an insane per-
son better than being placed in charge of
another. While they are both violent and
dangerous, yet the fascination of watching n
lunatic completely absorl,s the entire attcn-
uon, and cut watching n mouse does not
exhibit tho carefulness with which Hnrl;ins
watched Williams and Williams watched
liarkins. Each one thought the other was
rs crazy us IL loon, while he himself was per
icrtly sane. After they had been together
about month and ha,l become thoroughly
familiar with each other their hands
were freed nnl they wcro ut liberty
to do what they saw fit. Williams
hnd dcluson that his head was n metal
ball, and he rolled it on tho floor, taking his
body along with it, of course. His companion
always greeted this harmless amusement with
defiSioii ana n scornful laugh, and would pro-
coed to show some of his accomplishments
behe Il cow, he was an expert ut hucling,
and would rum Mt the wall hard crourb tn
break ms skull The paddin., prevented him
from doing any harm. Such an exhibition
of lcvity would disgust Williams. They had
several other accomplishments in their ,r,,cr
it a
of which were manifestations of decisions Of
some nature. The effect on the mind of cnch
was that of sympathy for his companion
WHO WnS so unfortunate us to he foolish. md
unable to act reasonably.
But with all their fun, the virilont wotcb
wns kept up all tho time. One of them co,,ld
not make n nlovo that tho other did not 500
They kept the motive Of their close watcl, So
cret, hut in time it seemed as il both got mn
idea that each was tho other, keeper This
was shown when the morl,hl impulse ,hnt i'm
PEELED to suicide was coming ON. They
would inform ench other about it, not in So
many words, hut by si.ns and movements
and then they would sit closely together.
AN IMPROVEMENT NOTICED.
as The period of coinpanionship became
longer there was an improvement noticed in
their condition ly the attending physician,
ihey ceased to fight against taking food, and
mad lucil intervals more frequently. They
took less interest in huring aud rolling the
ba!l, and days would pass without either of
them showing any insane antics. A fuelin,
OF interest spranS up for each other outside
of the performance Of duty, and they became
friendly and tnlkativc Being closely watched
by the attendants, it wns seen, after several
MT In, IL a
attempt to take life in The insane had di,op-
peared, and they were taken from their
padded room into one more cheerful, sunny
and light Other l,nntics were with them.
but they stuck together. and watched the
strange actions of their fellows with nppar.n,
surprise. They We're given privileges about
the place. Whatever they were told to do
they did without hesitation. Tho cloud wos
slowly lifting from their minds it was
evident. They talked nationally with TIN,
physicians and together When Williams
was told that he had an iron head lie had no
idea what was meant by it, and when Har
kins was told tllnt lie was u COW he looked
upon it as a reflection upon lis manhood and
became indignant. Finally they were sep.
arated and placed at work in different part,
of the building. They were orderly and
hbcdient, and they met each other with feel
ings of genuine pleasure.
Various tests were tried upon them for in
sanity, but there was always a negative re
suit. They Enc:v where they were, what was
tile matter with the people who were there
with them, but had no knowledge Of what
their condition formerly had been. There
could not be any doubt about the complete
restoration to reason, and last week they
were both discharged.
Other patients who have similar form of
insanity, when the good wor,: was shown in
Harkins and Williams, have been ,ut to-
gethcr, and in every there is II marked
improvement, and it is expected that some
definite rules will be evolved from these cases
that will help this unfortunate class of pcopl"
New York Cor. Cincinnati E,uuirer